Egypt’s armed forces have urged Egyptians to exercise caution in recognising “impostors” and eschew violence, as tens of thousands of Islamists poured onto Egypt’s streets on Friday demanding the reinstatement of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, Egypt’s military warned of “civil elements masquerading as army personnel, urging demonstrators to avoid “suspicious” rallying outside military facilities.
Separate rallies were also planned for later Friday by anti-Morsi protesters in Tahrir Square and outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis.
Limited numbers of the president’s opponents converged Friday afternoon in Tahrir Square to defend “the revolutions’ goals” and condemn recent violence that they blame on Morsi’s Islamist backers. Numbers are expected to swell after the fast-breaking Muslim meal of Iftar at Sunset.
The military also warned it would decisively deal with any violence in the protests, amid heightening concerns of imminent confrontations between rival factions.
“The armed forces warn against any deviation from peaceful expressions of opinion, and the use of violence,” it said in its statement published on its Facebook page.
“Whoever resorts to violence will endanger their life, and will be treated with utmost decisiveness…within legal bounds,” the statement added.